HARLINGEN — Residents across District 1 today get a chance to speak up about their concerns during the second of a series of town hall meetings aimed at helping chart the city’s course into the next decade.
During a so-called “listening session,” Commissioner Ford Kinsley, who oversees the district, is set to field residents’ feedback, which commissioners plan to consider as they develop the city’s new comprehensive plan.
“It’s an opportunity to hear the good, the bad and the ugly,” he said Wednesday, adding “residents from any district are welcome and encouraged to come.”
Kinsley, who pulled 55 percent of the vote to defeat two-term Commissioner Richard Uribe in a June 14 runoff election, said he’s want to hear residents’ concerns to help address them at City Hall.
“They are my neighbors,” he said. “I want to make sure they have clean and safe neighborhoods. I want to make sure they’re confident when their kids go out to play and go to school.”
Top concerns
Based on his months on the campaign trail, Kinsley said residents are calling for drainage upgrades to curb flooding.
“Regardless of where you go in the city, people are going to be concerned about flooding and drainage,” he said.
At City Hall, officials are planning drainage upgrades aimed at curbing flooding in areas such as the Adams Crossing subdivision in District 1.
More than two months after the Uvalde massacre, residents across the country are calling for heightened security at schools.
“School safety is a big topic on everybody’s mind right now,” Kinsley said.
Now, city officials are proposing helping the Harlingen school district launch a police department as part of an agreement in which the city assigns the district four police officers.
During his campaign, residents cited street conditions as a concern, Kinsley said.
“It’s road conditions, pot holes, street lights,” he said.
Listening sessions
The meeting will mark the city’s second listening session in the last two weeks.
As part of Mayor Norma Sepulveda’s plan, commissioners are holding town hall meetings within the city’s five single-member districts, planning to use residents’ feedback to help develop the new comprehensive plan aimed at guiding officials into the next decade.
In July, Commissioner Rene Perez, who oversees District 5, held the program’s first listening session.
Thursday, Kinsley’s set to hold his meeting from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum at 2425 Boxwood St.
For more information, call City Hall at 956-216-5001.
